Holiday Program Schedule

NHPR presents holiday programs from Thanksgiving through to New Year's Day, with music, performances and stories from many traditions. From Lessons and Carols from Washington Cathedral to The Retro Cocktail Hour Christmas Special, from choral carols to folk favorites, there's plenty to enjoy and make a part of your own holiday celebrations.

You can find descriptions of each special program below.

Saturday, December 15th, 4 pm: An Interconnected Christmas
Saturday, December 22nd, 4 pm: Zorba Pastor: In The Kitchen for the Holidays

Wednesday, Dec. 26th, 9 am: A Chanticleer Christmas
Thursday, Dec. 27th, 9 am: A Celebration of the Winter Solstice 2007
Friday, Dec. 28th, 9 am: A Season's Griot 2007
Saturday, Dec. 29th, 4 pm: Watch Night

Monday, Dec. 31, New Years Eve, 10 pm: Garrison Keillor's New Year's Eve Special
Monday, Jan. 1, New Years Day, 9 am Capitol Steps: Politics Takes A Holiday

Program Information

Saturday, December 15th

An Interconnected Christmas - 4 pm - Hosted by WUMB’s John Hingsbergen and Cheri Lawson, Interconnect is a weekly program from WMUB in Oxford, OH that explores spirituality, alternative health and lifestyle topics.  For this special program, The Interconnected Christmas, John and Cheri interview 9 guests about the meaning of the holiday.  The show includes discussion with Pat Betty, aromatherapy expert, Barbara Biziou, author of “The Joy of Ritual” and author and teacher Deepak Chopra. 

Saturday, December 22nd

Zorba Pastor: In the Kitchen for the Holidays - 4 pm -

Zorba Paster and Tom Clark are in their radio kitchen for the holidays, inviting friends in and sharing heart-healthy recipes perfect for this festive time of year. Along offering up great recipes, the guys also share health-conscious gift ideas, take listener calls and e-mails, tackle a holiday medical myth and share timely, insightful lifestyle news.  It's the perfect package for anyone looking to start down the road to a longer, healthier life.  Visit this program's website

Sunday, December 23rd

Lessons and Carols from Washington National Cathedral - 1 pm - Host Robert Aubry Davis welcomes listeners to hear "Lessons and Carols from Washington National Cathedral”.  The service combines biblical readings that chronicle the story Jesus' birth with age-old and all-new carols, from folk to ethereal polyphony. Among the service's many distinctions is the sound of its Girl Choristers, the finest in North America. Guided by Director of Music Michael McCarthy, they are joined by superb male choristers and a congregation of 2,000.   Special music includes Afro-American Andre Thomas' "African Nowell" along with Maurice Lauridsen's very popular "Magnum Mysterium." Two of John Rutter's most loved carols appear "Shepherd's Pipe Carol" along with his arrangement of "O Holy Night. Keith Chapman's "Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella" follows.  

New Traditions from NHPR - 2 pm, and December 25th, 1 pm - NHPR producer Andrew Walsh cooks up a two-hour spicy holiday music stew. View the playlist

Footprints to Paradise: A Medieval Christmas - 4 pm -

Hosted by Bill McGlaughlin, "Footprints to Paradise: A Mediaeval Christmas 2007" features the unique vocal artistry of New York Polyphony, an elite quartet of solo male voices. The ensemble join forces with Los Angeles theatre director Stan Cahill and some of Broadway's most acclaimed young talent to present a stellar hour of holiday listening.   "Footprints to Paradise" includes the medieval Norman (French) tradition of the talking animals, the belief that at midnight on Christmas Eve, the animals at the manger were given the gift of speech. The animal scene, newly added this year and characteristic of the naïve style of this kind of folk theatre, was recorded in the United Kingdom with children from London's Stagecoach agency. 

The Pleasures of Winter 2007 - 5 pm -

"The Pleasures of Winter" is a live special hosted by folk duo Jay Ungar & Molly Mason and recorded at WAMC's Linda Norris Auditorium in Albany, NY. The music ranges from lively, seasonal offerings to deeply moving pieces that reflect the more thoughtful and reflective side of winter and the holiday season. Interspersed among this unique selection of music are short seasonal readings, some humorous some thought provoking.   This year's program features acclaimed singer and song stylist Kate Pierson of the B-52s with pianist Rob Arthur, traditional winter songs from the British Isles with vocal and instrumental quartet Noel Sing We Clear, American folk duo John Kirk and Trish Miller, and Jay Ungar & Molly Mason and their house band with Peter Davis (clarinet, guitar, piano, vocals) and Sam Zucchini (drums).  Visit this program's website  

Monday, December 24th

I Saw Three Ships: From Jamestown to the World - 9 a m -

Host Dan Roberts is joined by actors Dorothy Holland and Michael Goodwin in "I Saw Three Ships: From Jamestown to the World," an hour-long holiday special on the settlement of Jamestown as a pivotal historical marker for contemporary times.  The program tells a story using contemporary to centuries-old Christmas music and narration that glances back to 17th-century Virginia.  It begins at Christmas 1607, just seven months after the first colonists arrived.  Roberts looks at their memories of England, at the Chesapeake tribes and to their aspirations and fears. He then turns to December 1707, 1807, 1907 and 2007, each jump opening up a wider perspective, first within America and finally in the world.
The University of Richmond's Schola Cantorum, directed by Jeffrey Riehl, performs a rich palette of music, from the London of Shakespeare's time, the Appalachians and the spirituals of the Deep South, to colonial times, the voice of the Native American, on to the Civil War and then the 20th and 21st centuries. 

Carols for Dancing - noon -

People today usually think of carols as songs performed by choirs or celebrity vocalists during the Christmas season. But originally, carols sprang up as festive dance songs for a variety of holidays and seasons. At Christmas, these cheerful songs accompanied joyful dancing at home and in the streets, in churches and cathedrals.  "Carols for Dancing" explores the intimate connection between song and dance in this rich heritage of holiday music. Built around vigorous performances by Renaissonics — an award-winning improvisatory Renaissance dance band that produced new arrangements for this special — the program tells the story of the mid-winter holiday dance tradition with brief, intriguing narratives by host Ellen Kushner.  "Carols for Dancing" showcases instrumental music and reveals the fascinating and often unexpected stories behind familiar carols, offering listeners the chance to learn while enjoying an upbeat music presentation. 

Jazz at Lincoln Center: Red Hot Holiday Stomp - 1 pm - When Santa and the Mrs. get to dancing the “New Orleans Bump," you know you're walking in a Wynton Wonderland--a place where joyous music meets comic storytelling. Hosted by Wynton and Ellis Marsalis with Roberta Gumbel, Herlin Riley, Wycliffe Gordon, Don Vappie and friends rattle the rafters with holiday classics swung with Crescent City style. 

Putumayo New Orleans Christmas - 2 pm - We bring you a holiday special set in a city that embraces Christmas with food, family, and lights and of course music: New Orleans.  The people of New Orleans go all out for Christmas, which has been a religious city since it was founded by the French in the 1600’s.  New Orleans is also a city that loves to have a good time! Every year the streets are decorated with millions of lights, the restaurants serve elaborate holiday means and the clubs are hopping with great music.  Join us for Christmas New Orleans style with Louis Armstrong, Topsy Chapman, Charmaine Neville and many more of the Crescent City’s finest.  Visit this program's website

Peter Ostroushko's Heartland Holiday 2007 - 3 pm -

Peter Ostroushko's Heartland Holiday concert celebrates the spirit of the season from a multi-cultural perspective. Ostroushko is a master fiddler, mandolin, and guitar player, and his musical journey features traditional and ancient carols. Learn more about this program

St. Olaf Christmas Festival - 7 pm -

The St. Olaf Christmas Festival is one of the oldest and most cherished celebrations of the holidays in the United States. Begun in 1912, the Festival is a worship service of hymns, carols, choral works and orchestral selections that celebrate the birth of Christ. Featuring more than 550 student musicians, this two-hour performance takes place on the St. Olaf campus in Northfield, Minnesota.  Learn more about this program

A Baroque Christmas - 9 pm -

Chatham Baroque, one of the leading interpreters of Baroque music, has released six best-selling CDs to critical acclaim. Each December, the ensemble presents a holiday program at the intimate Synod Hall in Pittsburgh, often with renowned guest soloists.  Hosted by Jim Cunningham, "A Baroque Christmas" features selections from the ensemble's holiday concerts performed over several years, along with brief interview clips about the music. The concert includes music from Bach's "Christmas Oratorio," sonatas from Schmelzer and Biber, plus a festive European sampler of popular carols from centuries past. 

Tuesday, December 25th

The Rose Ensemble 2007: Elizabethan England - 9 am -

Renaissance England was both a glorious and challenging place for composers. Music flourished as an essential part of royal functions and courtiers cultivated musical skills. Christmastime in the age of Elizabeth was a time to celebrate all aspects of the life of Christ, and seasonal music from this time describes Christ’s passion, death and ascension as well as his birth. We'll take this journey with Rose Ensemble, a Twin Cities-based group recognized for its ability to reawaken the ancient through imaginative performances of vocal music, connecting each individual to past worlds with stories of spirituality and humanity. 

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols - 10 am - One live, two-hour stereo music and spoken-word broadcast from the chapel of King's College in Cambridge, England presenting the legendary Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service (Biblical readings and music) as performed by the 30-voice King's College Choir.

Welcome Christmas - noon - Welcome Christmas! is the annual Christmas concert from VocalEssence, recognized internationally as one of America's premier choral groups. John Birge is producer and host of this one-hour special. 

Joy to the World 2007 - noon - "Joy to the World 2007" is a rich, hour-long live performance of holiday jazz hosted by pianist Bob Thompson. Thompson welcomes jazz vocalist Kendra Foster to the stage. Foster's devotion to music and her soul-powered vocals make her a truly unique voice in American music. Thompson's expansive jazz vocabulary soars in "Joy to the World 2007" as he adds fresh perspectives to songs of the season. Foster's individual artistry is the key to the interpretation and arrangement of the featured music, and with Thompson, makes this year's performance as fresh as the season's first snow.

The Retro Cocktail Hour Christmas Special - 3 pm - Straight from the space age bachelor pad, The Retro Cocktail Hour Christmas Special is a grab bag of intoxicating hi-fi holiday highballs. Here's everything from wacky instrumental pop and rare jazz to groovy bossa nova and Latin-flavored Christmas tunes! 

Echoes of Christmas - 7 pm - Over the years, the Dale Warland Singers have provided magical performances for this season to listeners across the country. Drawing upon the archive of those live performances, Dale Warland and host Brian Newhouse bring old and new treasures to listeners looking for Christmas inspiration.  

Christmas with the Philadelphia Singers - 8 pm - An annual favorite, "Christmas with the Philadelphia Singers" is a concert of traditional and contemporary holiday music performed by the renowned choral group.  This year, the famed ensemble celebrates Christmas on Logan Square with a program of 20th-century music.  Host Ed Cunningham shares seasonal sounds with cherished favorites old and new: from a sonorous candlelight procession to a spirited singing of traditional carols with the audience. The hour-long concert is made complete by the choir's delightful arrangements of traditional hymns and carols. 

Fear Not: For Behold - 9 pm - The National Lutheran Choir returns to Minneapolis' magnificent Basilica of Saint Mary for its annual Christmas Festival. This vast space is the perfect setting for a contemplative choral concert based on the Incarnation message, "Christ was born to bring peace to the world. Fear not." An exquisitely moving program hosted by Timothy Kunau, "Fear Not: For Behold!" includes works by Jean Berger, Healey Willan, Knut Nystedt, Will Todd, John Rutter, Pierre Villette, Mack Wilberg, Säde Rissanen, Paul Tschesnokoff, René Clausen. It also features the premiere performance of "Love Looked Down," a new piece commissioned by the choir from St. Paul conductor and composer Dale Warland.  The performance is narrated by Stephanie Wendt and Phil Quanbeck, and features Twin Cities instrumentalists Anne Ransom on harp, Linda Chatterton, flute, Tom Austin, cello, and Aaron David Miller, organ. 

Wednesday, December 26th

A Chanticleer Christmas - 9 am -

Chanticleer Christmas celebrates the mystery and wonder of Christmas with an elegant blend of traditional carols, medieval and Renaissance sacred works and moving spirituals.  Hosted by Brian Newhouse.

Thursday, December 27th

A Celebration of the Winter Solstice 2007 - 9 am - This all-new program is a delightful compilation of country dance tunes, carols, songs and motets excerpted from nine unique Revels celebrations performed across the country in 2006.  Host Elaine Kennedy guides listeners through the program's sacred and secular folk materials and composed works, all of which are rooted in traditional European and American observances of Christmas, New Year's, the Feast of Fools, Twelfth Night and the Winter Solstice, and some of which date back to pre-Christian times. This multicultural Winter Solstice sampler features music from the Middle Ages through the 20th century, from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, French Canada, Scandinavia, Scotland, Eastern Europe, France, and New England and Appalachia.

Friday, December 28th

A Season's Griot 2007 - 9 am - "A Season's Griot 2007" is public radio's only nationally syndicated Kwanzaa program. Hosted for the last 15 years by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual one-hour special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples.  This year, the program focuses on the National Association of Black Storytellers, in honor of the group's 25th anniversary. During the program, Madafo, a long-time member of the group, weaves together stories told by group members with an interview with the group’s founders and their creation of a vibrant forum for black storytelling.  

Saturday, December 29th

Watch Night - 4 pm - Watch Night is a vigil kept on the last night of the year in services that are thoughtful, solemn, soulful, joyous and celebratory. Congregants sing hymns, share testimonies and give thanks, offer up problems and mistakes of the old year and anticipate the blessings of the New Year.  "Watch Night" showcases this observance and highlights its unique, historic meaning for African American churches, illuminating and personalizing the significance of the service using interviews, music, poetry and song.  Because the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect at midnight on New Year's Eve 1863, black Christians have invested the Watch Night tradition and its rituals with new depths of meaning, often calling it Freedom's Eve. "Watch Night" is a contemporary look at historic changes in a centuries-old vigil. 

Monday, December 31st

Garrison Keillor's New Year's Eve Special - 10 pm -

Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion offer a special rebroadcast of their 2006 New Year's Eve special recorded primarily at Nashville's Historic Ryman Auditorium. Garrison Keillor hosts, and welcomes among others; Suzy Bogguss, Sam Bush, Cowboy Jack Clement, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Buddy Emmons, Emmylou Harris, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jon Randall, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, and Robin & Linda Williams. Also, APHC's own Tim Russell and sound-effects wizard Fred Newman will be on hand, along with Richard Dworsky and the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band.   

Tuesday, January 1st

Capitol Steps: Politics Takes a Holiday - 9 am - The Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them.  In the years that followed, many of the Steps ignored the conventional wisdom ("Don't quit your day job!"), and although not all of the current members of the Steps are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have worked in a total of eighteen Congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience.  Since they began, the Capitol Steps have recorded 27 albums and have been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard 4 times a year on National Public Radio stations nationwide during their Politics Takes a Holiday radio specials.